Here we are at the end of Fall 2008 already. I'm looking forward to reading your final papers.
A couple of last-minute things:
1. The deadline for turning in the final paper has been extended to 3 p.m. Monday, Dec. 15. Papers must be stapled together and have a title page listing your name, my name, the course title (EN103) and the title of the paper. I will only except final papers by e-mail in cases of emergency.
2. A reminder about attendance. If you missed more than two classes this semester, even for an illness or emergency, your final grade will reflect it. Likewise, the handful of students who failed to do oral presentations on the final project will see that reflected in their grades.
3. I can be reached by e-mail or cell phone if you have last-minute questions. If you've lost my personal contact info, call me at The Leader-Herald: 725-8616, Ext. 250.
4. If you'd like feedback on your final paper (either in hard copy form or via e-mail), let me know.
Have a good winter break, and best of luck in the future.
-- Bill Ack.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
In the home stretch
Next Wednesday, Dec. 10, will be our last class meeting of the semester. Any students who have not yet given oral presentations on their final projects must do so that night.
See you then.
See you then.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Final project instructions
For your final project in the course, you will select one of the following research options:
1.) Art/lit option:
Research the life and work of one artist or writer and write a paper discussing how one of that person’s works (a painting, poem, story, play, novel, etc.) was significant in his or her career. I suggest you select an artist or writer and a work with which you are already familiar and in which you are interested.
2.) Local history option:
Research a significant person, landmark or institution in a local community’s history and write a paper discussing the subject’s influence (good, bad or mixed) on that community. If you select this option, I suggest you take advantage of the Kenneth Dorn Regional History Study Center at FMCC’s Evans Library.
3.) Science/tech option:
Research a cutting-edge development in science, technology, engineering or medicine and write a speculative paper discussing what the future significance of this development might be. For example, you might research how scientists are developing a new technique for curing a disease, or how a software company is designing a new Web application.
4.) Education option:
Research a current development in education theory and/or practice and write a paper discussing how the development has affected schools and students (or how it might in the future).
No matter which option you choose, your speculation, argument or analysis must be based on evidence from your research sources, not merely your own personal opinions or “common sense.” I will be happy to suggest specific sources for your individual project, and of course the staff at the FMCC library is available for research consultation.
The final paper will be 5 to 7 pages long (double-spaced in a standard 12-pt font) and will include a separate cover sheet and a separate “Works Cited” page listing your sources according to MLA style. Your paper must use at least five separate sources. You will use either end notes or footnotes for your citations (not in-text citations).
Timeline for research project:
Nov. 19: Discuss ideas and early findings in research groups.
One-page research proposal due (summary of topic, research question, working thesis and notation for three likely sources).
Nov. 26: Oral presentations, part I
Dec. 3: Oral presentations, part II
Dec. 10: Oral presentations, part III (last class meeting)
Dec. 12: Final papers due in my mailbox in C-209 by noon.
1.) Art/lit option:
Research the life and work of one artist or writer and write a paper discussing how one of that person’s works (a painting, poem, story, play, novel, etc.) was significant in his or her career. I suggest you select an artist or writer and a work with which you are already familiar and in which you are interested.
2.) Local history option:
Research a significant person, landmark or institution in a local community’s history and write a paper discussing the subject’s influence (good, bad or mixed) on that community. If you select this option, I suggest you take advantage of the Kenneth Dorn Regional History Study Center at FMCC’s Evans Library.
3.) Science/tech option:
Research a cutting-edge development in science, technology, engineering or medicine and write a speculative paper discussing what the future significance of this development might be. For example, you might research how scientists are developing a new technique for curing a disease, or how a software company is designing a new Web application.
4.) Education option:
Research a current development in education theory and/or practice and write a paper discussing how the development has affected schools and students (or how it might in the future).
- - -
No matter which option you choose, your speculation, argument or analysis must be based on evidence from your research sources, not merely your own personal opinions or “common sense.” I will be happy to suggest specific sources for your individual project, and of course the staff at the FMCC library is available for research consultation.
The final paper will be 5 to 7 pages long (double-spaced in a standard 12-pt font) and will include a separate cover sheet and a separate “Works Cited” page listing your sources according to MLA style. Your paper must use at least five separate sources. You will use either end notes or footnotes for your citations (not in-text citations).
Timeline for research project:
Nov. 19: Discuss ideas and early findings in research groups.
One-page research proposal due (summary of topic, research question, working thesis and notation for three likely sources).
Nov. 26: Oral presentations, part I
Dec. 3: Oral presentations, part II
Dec. 10: Oral presentations, part III (last class meeting)
Dec. 12: Final papers due in my mailbox in C-209 by noon.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Help with MLA style for source citations
In case you've lost your little blue book from the library, or you don't have Chapter 8 of your textbook handy, you might want to use this convenient summary of MLA style for citing sources in research papers. View it online or print out a copy to keep:
http://library.albany.edu/usered/cite/mla.pdf
http://library.albany.edu/usered/cite/mla.pdf
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Instructions for Essay #3
Select a movie or a book that has had a significant effect on people's lives and write an essay describing and documenting one such effect.
Think about this project in terms of your research question and your thesis. (we've discussed these concepts in class, and the textbook also explains them).
Use at least two text sources and cite them along with the work itself in a separate "Works Cited" page at the end of your essay. You have three choices of citation format: in-text citations, end notes or footnotes. Use the format with which you're most comfortable.
Your essay should be about two pages in length (double-spaced, 12-point font, etc.); make your points concisely and cite your sources judiciously. It will be due Nov. 12.
I'll discuss this assignment in greater detail next week.
On another note, you may want to test your grammar at the following site: It only takes a few minutes, and it will help you get your whos and whoms in order:
GRAMMAR TEST
Think about this project in terms of your research question and your thesis. (we've discussed these concepts in class, and the textbook also explains them).
Use at least two text sources and cite them along with the work itself in a separate "Works Cited" page at the end of your essay. You have three choices of citation format: in-text citations, end notes or footnotes. Use the format with which you're most comfortable.
Your essay should be about two pages in length (double-spaced, 12-point font, etc.); make your points concisely and cite your sources judiciously. It will be due Nov. 12.
I'll discuss this assignment in greater detail next week.
On another note, you may want to test your grammar at the following site: It only takes a few minutes, and it will help you get your whos and whoms in order:
GRAMMAR TEST
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Thoughts on Essay #2
Last week, a student asked me to send feedback on the rough draft of Essay #2 via e-mail. As I wrote my comments, I realized they apply to everyone in the class. In fact, they are probably relevant to many situations in which college students are asked to write analytically about literature.
Here are a few of the observations I made as I read your draft of Essay #2:
1.) Saying the story is "very interesting" is not a "very interesting" way of starting your essay. Make your introduction stronger by making a clear, arguable assertion right from the get-go. In other words, clearly state your thesis. Everything you write in your essay should somehow support your thesis. Keep this in mind as you consider the following notes:
2.) Don't summarize the plot (the action that takes place in the story) so much. Your essay should consist mostly of your analysis, with occasional quotations or paraphrases or summaries of the story's action. Only mention parts of the story that are most relevant to your analysis. Be sure to use quotation marks when you are quoting the story's text word for word, whether you are quoting a short phrase or a full sentence or several sentences.
3.) Don't change tenses as you describe action in the story. In general, the standard practice for summarizing action in a story is to use the present tense. For example, one should write, "The boy in 'Araby' is melancholy" rather than "The boy in 'Araby' was melancholy." I suppose the reason for this is that a piece of published literature is usually permanent and unchanging; there's no reason to refer to it in the past tense because it continues to exist in the present (the plot "happens" in the present for the reader each time it is read).
4.) For this essay (not necessarily for a more formal research paper), don't be afraid to write about how the story made you feel. Offer more of your own personal interpretation and reaction, but be sure not to assume that your audience/readers will feel the same way. This approach should make your essay distinctive. Everybody who reads "Cathedral" knows the main character's attitude changes (his "eyes are opened") because of his interaction with the blind man. That's the main point of the story, and it's obvious. Your task in this essay is to observe and analyze the ways this dynamic (the change in the character's outlook) and other elements of the story (Carver's writing style, the "tone" or "mood" of the story, etc.) make the story "work." If it's easier to describe how the story "works for you," go for it. If you liked the story, try to think about how all these elements work together to prompt your personal reaction.
5.) Often, narrowing one's focus makes the difference between a strong essay and a weak one. If you fear your thesis is not original enough or perhaps not worthy of an argument (i.e., too obvious), try narrowing the scope of your essay. Rather than trying to analyze "the whole enchilada," you might want to limit your analytical claims to a particular aspect of your subject. For example, rather than trying to argue that the protagonist in "Cathedral" goes through an experience that radically changes his outlook (which is obvious; see note No. 4 above), focus on something more specific. Perhaps you might want to compare/contrast the relationship between the narrator and his wife with the other relationships in the story: the blind man's relationship with Beulah, the blind man's relationship with the narrator's wife, the narrator's wife's previous marriage, etc. Or focus specifically on all the passages in the text that specifically relate to the themes of "sight" and "blindness" (literal and figurative). Or focus specifically on dialogue (the words characters in the story speak to each other -- their tone, phrasing, vocabulary, etc.). A tightly focused thesis is essential if you want to successfully follow this last bit of advice:
6.) Your introduction should claim no more and no less than what you actually will deliver in the essay. It's better to make a modest claim and follow it up with a solid analysis than to make an overly ambitious claim and fail to support it.
Here are a few of the observations I made as I read your draft of Essay #2:
1.) Saying the story is "very interesting" is not a "very interesting" way of starting your essay. Make your introduction stronger by making a clear, arguable assertion right from the get-go. In other words, clearly state your thesis. Everything you write in your essay should somehow support your thesis. Keep this in mind as you consider the following notes:
2.) Don't summarize the plot (the action that takes place in the story) so much. Your essay should consist mostly of your analysis, with occasional quotations or paraphrases or summaries of the story's action. Only mention parts of the story that are most relevant to your analysis. Be sure to use quotation marks when you are quoting the story's text word for word, whether you are quoting a short phrase or a full sentence or several sentences.
3.) Don't change tenses as you describe action in the story. In general, the standard practice for summarizing action in a story is to use the present tense. For example, one should write, "The boy in 'Araby' is melancholy" rather than "The boy in 'Araby' was melancholy." I suppose the reason for this is that a piece of published literature is usually permanent and unchanging; there's no reason to refer to it in the past tense because it continues to exist in the present (the plot "happens" in the present for the reader each time it is read).
4.) For this essay (not necessarily for a more formal research paper), don't be afraid to write about how the story made you feel. Offer more of your own personal interpretation and reaction, but be sure not to assume that your audience/readers will feel the same way. This approach should make your essay distinctive. Everybody who reads "Cathedral" knows the main character's attitude changes (his "eyes are opened") because of his interaction with the blind man. That's the main point of the story, and it's obvious. Your task in this essay is to observe and analyze the ways this dynamic (the change in the character's outlook) and other elements of the story (Carver's writing style, the "tone" or "mood" of the story, etc.) make the story "work." If it's easier to describe how the story "works for you," go for it. If you liked the story, try to think about how all these elements work together to prompt your personal reaction.
5.) Often, narrowing one's focus makes the difference between a strong essay and a weak one. If you fear your thesis is not original enough or perhaps not worthy of an argument (i.e., too obvious), try narrowing the scope of your essay. Rather than trying to analyze "the whole enchilada," you might want to limit your analytical claims to a particular aspect of your subject. For example, rather than trying to argue that the protagonist in "Cathedral" goes through an experience that radically changes his outlook (which is obvious; see note No. 4 above), focus on something more specific. Perhaps you might want to compare/contrast the relationship between the narrator and his wife with the other relationships in the story: the blind man's relationship with Beulah, the blind man's relationship with the narrator's wife, the narrator's wife's previous marriage, etc. Or focus specifically on all the passages in the text that specifically relate to the themes of "sight" and "blindness" (literal and figurative). Or focus specifically on dialogue (the words characters in the story speak to each other -- their tone, phrasing, vocabulary, etc.). A tightly focused thesis is essential if you want to successfully follow this last bit of advice:
6.) Your introduction should claim no more and no less than what you actually will deliver in the essay. It's better to make a modest claim and follow it up with a solid analysis than to make an overly ambitious claim and fail to support it.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Important update
Here's a quick recap of some of the schedule-related things we decided in class this week:
1) I have given everyone an additional week to complete the final draft of Essay #2, so it will be due Oct. 22 instead of Oct. 15. I will return copies of your rough drafts with comments Oct. 15, so you can consider my feedback in addition to your classmates'.
Please review your graded copies of Essay #1 as you revise Essay #2. I didn't put all that red ink on the first essay for my own amusement! I hope to see significant improvement from each of you in several areas: correct grammar, good sentence flow and paragraph structure, solid logic, clarity of expression, and proper use of citations and/or quotations.
2) The mid-term quiz will happen next week -- Oct. 15. I plan to reserve about an hour for it at the end of class. You can expect to see material from both the readings and class discussions on the quiz. Here is a partial list of terms and concepts you should brush up on:
thesis
theme
hyperbole
charicature (& grotesque)
exposition
denoument
dichotomy
rhetoric
egalitarianism
narrative
The differences between an arguable position and an inarguable one.
Consideration of counterarguments in rhetorical situations.
Outlining (as in a technique for preparing to write).
1) I have given everyone an additional week to complete the final draft of Essay #2, so it will be due Oct. 22 instead of Oct. 15. I will return copies of your rough drafts with comments Oct. 15, so you can consider my feedback in addition to your classmates'.
Please review your graded copies of Essay #1 as you revise Essay #2. I didn't put all that red ink on the first essay for my own amusement! I hope to see significant improvement from each of you in several areas: correct grammar, good sentence flow and paragraph structure, solid logic, clarity of expression, and proper use of citations and/or quotations.
2) The mid-term quiz will happen next week -- Oct. 15. I plan to reserve about an hour for it at the end of class. You can expect to see material from both the readings and class discussions on the quiz. Here is a partial list of terms and concepts you should brush up on:
thesis
theme
hyperbole
charicature (& grotesque)
exposition
denoument
dichotomy
rhetoric
egalitarianism
narrative
The differences between an arguable position and an inarguable one.
Consideration of counterarguments in rhetorical situations.
Outlining (as in a technique for preparing to write).
Friday, October 3, 2008
If you enjoyed 'Cathedral' ...
... you might be curious about this item from The New York Times. A new movie coming out soon has upset the National Federation for the Blind:
'Blindness' film sparks protest
If you want to know more about Raymond Carver, check this out:
www.carversite.com
'Blindness' film sparks protest
If you want to know more about Raymond Carver, check this out:
www.carversite.com
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Remember to meet at the library
A reminder: We will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, at the library instead of in our regular classroom. The library staff will run you through an information literacy session. After it is finished, we will reconvene in the classroom.
Also, remember to turn in Essay #1 if you did not do so when it was due last week. I will accept papers on Wednesday and assess a mild -5% penalty to the grade. The penalties will be much more serious for the second essay and the final paper.
In class this week, we will discuss the readings that were handed out: "Literary Analyses," "Cathedral" (by Raymond Carver), and "Me Talk Pretty One Day" (by David Sedaris).
See you at the library.
P.S. If you enjoyed the Sedaris piece, you might want to read this one, too: http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2003/06/16/030616fa_fact
Also, remember to turn in Essay #1 if you did not do so when it was due last week. I will accept papers on Wednesday and assess a mild -5% penalty to the grade. The penalties will be much more serious for the second essay and the final paper.
In class this week, we will discuss the readings that were handed out: "Literary Analyses," "Cathedral" (by Raymond Carver), and "Me Talk Pretty One Day" (by David Sedaris).
See you at the library.
P.S. If you enjoyed the Sedaris piece, you might want to read this one, too: http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2003/06/16/030616fa_fact
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Instructions for Essay #2 (first draft due Oct. 8)
Choose either option and follow the instructions below:
Option A: Analyze an argument
Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s “Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions” from the first woman’s rights conference of 1848 patently follows the form of The Declaration of Independence, composed more than 70 years previously by Thomas Jefferson. Analyze the rhetoric of the two pieces, carefully noting the differences as well as the similarities. Does modeling her “Declaration” after Jefferson’s serve Stanton’s argument? Base your position on several specific passages from the text.
Option B: Analyze a narrative
Character development is a driving force of many stories, fictional and otherwise, including “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver, “Me Talk Pretty One Day” by David Sedaris, “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor and “Araby” by James Joyce. Choose one of these narratives and analyze the ways in which the protagonist (main character) changes over the course of the tale. Does the character’s attitude or outlook change between the beginning and the end of the story? How do the character’s views relate to the theme(s) of the story?
-----
For either option, you may cite other textual sources in addition to the stories themselves, though this is not required.
The first draft essay will be due at the start of class on Wednesday, Oct. 8. At the top of your first page, include your name, my name, the name of the course (EN103) and the date you’re turning it in. Be sure to label it “first draft.” Bring three copies –- one for me and two for classmates who will critique it during class. Your draft should be 2 to 5 typed, double-spaced pages long. The pages of each copy should be stapled together.
You will revise your essay based on feedback from me and the classmates who read it. The final version must be 3 or 4 typed, double-spaced pages long. You will turn in one copy of the final, revised essay at the start of class Wednesday, Oct. 15.
Option A: Analyze an argument
Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s “Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions” from the first woman’s rights conference of 1848 patently follows the form of The Declaration of Independence, composed more than 70 years previously by Thomas Jefferson. Analyze the rhetoric of the two pieces, carefully noting the differences as well as the similarities. Does modeling her “Declaration” after Jefferson’s serve Stanton’s argument? Base your position on several specific passages from the text.
Option B: Analyze a narrative
Character development is a driving force of many stories, fictional and otherwise, including “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver, “Me Talk Pretty One Day” by David Sedaris, “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor and “Araby” by James Joyce. Choose one of these narratives and analyze the ways in which the protagonist (main character) changes over the course of the tale. Does the character’s attitude or outlook change between the beginning and the end of the story? How do the character’s views relate to the theme(s) of the story?
-----
For either option, you may cite other textual sources in addition to the stories themselves, though this is not required.
The first draft essay will be due at the start of class on Wednesday, Oct. 8. At the top of your first page, include your name, my name, the name of the course (EN103) and the date you’re turning it in. Be sure to label it “first draft.” Bring three copies –- one for me and two for classmates who will critique it during class. Your draft should be 2 to 5 typed, double-spaced pages long. The pages of each copy should be stapled together.
You will revise your essay based on feedback from me and the classmates who read it. The final version must be 3 or 4 typed, double-spaced pages long. You will turn in one copy of the final, revised essay at the start of class Wednesday, Oct. 15.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Writing assignment: Essay #1
Here are the instructions for Essay #1, which will be due Sept. 24. This is in addition to the reading assignments listed on the course syllabus. These will be explained further in class tonight (Sept. 17).
Choose one of the following options. Your essay should be 2 to 3 typed, double-spaced pages long. The pages should be stapled together. At the top of your first page, include your name, my name, the name of the course (EN103) and the date you’re turning it in. The essay will be due at the start of class on Wednesday, Sept. 24.
Option A: Preaching vs. Teaching
In his essay “Conspiracy Theories 101,” Stanley Fish argues that the principles of academic freedom do not grant teachers the right to try to convince students to adopt their personal opinions and beliefs. Do you agree, or disagree? Write an essay either supporting or disputing Fish’s general thesis, using at least one specific example of a topic on which a professor should or should not, in your opinion, espouse his personal beliefs.
You are welcome (but not required) to discuss the ideas brought up by Lewis Lapham in his essay “Time Lines” if you feel they are relevant to Fish’s argument or to yours.
Option B: The Same Old Story
In his essay “Time Lines,” Lewis Lapham acknowledges that teaching history as a series of stories (or narratives) is problematic, but it is better than not teaching history at all –- or teaching it in such a way that students won’t find it interesting and therefore valuable. Do you agree or disagree? Write an essay either supporting or disputing Lapham’s position on this matter, using at least one specific example of a historical event, development or subject that either should or should not be taught in the form of narrative(s).
You are welcome (but not required) to discuss the ideas brought up by Stanley Fish in his essay “Conspiracy Theories 101” if you feel they are relevant to Lapham’s argument or to yours.
Choose one of the following options. Your essay should be 2 to 3 typed, double-spaced pages long. The pages should be stapled together. At the top of your first page, include your name, my name, the name of the course (EN103) and the date you’re turning it in. The essay will be due at the start of class on Wednesday, Sept. 24.
Option A: Preaching vs. Teaching
In his essay “Conspiracy Theories 101,” Stanley Fish argues that the principles of academic freedom do not grant teachers the right to try to convince students to adopt their personal opinions and beliefs. Do you agree, or disagree? Write an essay either supporting or disputing Fish’s general thesis, using at least one specific example of a topic on which a professor should or should not, in your opinion, espouse his personal beliefs.
You are welcome (but not required) to discuss the ideas brought up by Lewis Lapham in his essay “Time Lines” if you feel they are relevant to Fish’s argument or to yours.
Option B: The Same Old Story
In his essay “Time Lines,” Lewis Lapham acknowledges that teaching history as a series of stories (or narratives) is problematic, but it is better than not teaching history at all –- or teaching it in such a way that students won’t find it interesting and therefore valuable. Do you agree or disagree? Write an essay either supporting or disputing Lapham’s position on this matter, using at least one specific example of a historical event, development or subject that either should or should not be taught in the form of narrative(s).
You are welcome (but not required) to discuss the ideas brought up by Stanley Fish in his essay “Conspiracy Theories 101” if you feel they are relevant to Lapham’s argument or to yours.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Homework for Wednesday, Sept. 17
For anybody who missed our first class, Sept. 10, and for anybody who was present but might have dozed off ... I want you to read the two essays I handed out: "Conspiracy Theories 101" by Stanley Fish and "Time Lines" by Lewis Lapham.
While you're reading, think about how they might relate to our discussion of narrative. I suggest you take notes as you read -- jot down observations about the writers' points (determine the thesis of each essay) and jot down any questions you have. Come to class prepared to talk about the readings!
If your memory of "narrative" and "thesis" are fuzzy, go ahead and look them up in a dictionary or on www.dictionary.com. Also, if you want a refresher, look up "notation" and "connotation" and "context" while you're at it.
Feel free to contact me with questions.
See you Monday.
While you're reading, think about how they might relate to our discussion of narrative. I suggest you take notes as you read -- jot down observations about the writers' points (determine the thesis of each essay) and jot down any questions you have. Come to class prepared to talk about the readings!
If your memory of "narrative" and "thesis" are fuzzy, go ahead and look them up in a dictionary or on www.dictionary.com. Also, if you want a refresher, look up "notation" and "connotation" and "context" while you're at it.
Feel free to contact me with questions.
See you Monday.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Welcome to English I
Welcome to the course. I'll be using this blog throughout the semester to keep students up to date on assignments and other course activities. You should check this site regularly (once or twice a week?) because I will frequently post reminders, links, clarifications and other tidbits pertinent to the course.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)